Available for iOS and Android

The Al Shabaab are still holding several Ugandan soldiers who were captured during a deadly attack on the African Union military base in Buulo Mareer, Lower Shabelle, Somalia on May 26, 2023.

Al-Shabaab used over 800 fighters to attack and overrun the Forward Operating Base manned by the UPDF.

The terrorist group on Saturday released a video of one of the UPDF soldiers, Sgt William Muhendo, 48, saying several soldiers like him were still alive and in captivity of Al Shabaab.

It remains unclear if the video was recorded recently or immediately after the capture of the UPDF soldiers.

It also does not shed light on the number of prisoners of war in the hands of the terrorist group.

Ugandan officials were hesitant to comment on the development, saying they didn’t want to give the “propaganda video” unnecessary attention.

“This propaganda video could be aimed at blackmailing and pressuring the Ugandan government to make concessions to Al Shabaab including leaving Somalia,” said a government source who preferred anonymity to speak freely.

In the video, Muhendo says he is a Ugandan by nationality and a son of the late Christopher Eriya and Beatrice Mukonyezi.

He Joined the army in 1997.

“We reached Buulo Mareer on 9th April, 2023 where we had been deployed by ATMIS where the attack happened,” says Muhendo.

He says the Forward Operating Base (FOB) was a battalion base for Uganda’s ‘Zulu’ force where the commanding officer Lt Col Edward Nyororo was killed on May 26.

“The attack happened early in the morning,” says Muhendo.

“Al Shabaab took over the FOB and took everything including the weapons and ammunition,” he adds.

“Al Shabaab destroyed two tanks and most of the UPDF soldiers were killed and others were captured and taken as POW including me.”

Muhendo appealed to the Parliament of Uganda and President Museveni to find a solution to their situation with the view of reuniting the prisoners of war with their families.

In May, President Museveni said UPDF recovered 54 bodies of Ugandan soldiers killed in the May 26 attack.

“Our soldiers demonstrated remarkable resilience and reorganized themselves, resulting in the recapture of the base,” he added.

Videos and photos of UPDF soldiers being shot dead by Al Shabaab during the attack enraged the nation.

Museveni attributed the attack to UPDF’s internal weaknesses including cowardice of some commanders and deeply entrenched corruption.

SOURCE

Thank you for reading Ujasusi Blog. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Ujasusi | Intelligence & Security Analysis

Al-Shabaab release video of Ugandan ‘prisoner…